Star Girl | Cedric Diggory

|*| One Hundred Ten |*|

|*| the depression continues |*|

The streets of Diagon Alley were nearly barren except for a few passersby and the shopkeepers. Aquila walked alone to the shop of Ollivander, and she entered the store with her head low. She was a known Death Eater, and being out in the open was dangerous as anyone could alert the ministry and have her thrown in Azkaban.

The old shop keeper was dusting the shelves when he heard the bell ring upon her entrance. It only took him a moment to recognize her. "Aquila Whitman," he said, a small amount of fear in his voice. "You should not be here."

"I'm afraid I don't have a choice, Mr. Ollivander," she said, removing the cloak from her face. "My wand is... well, it's underperforming in my new line of work."

"Then you should consider a different profession," the man said.

"I'm afraid I don't have a choice on that matter either," she said. She placed her wand on the counter. "Can you tell what I'm doing wrong."

With a shaky hand, Ollivander grabbed her wand and examined it quickly. He shook his head and put it back down on the table. "Unicorn hair," he said.

"What about it?" Aquila asked.

"It is the hardest of all wand cores to turn to the Dark Arts," he explained.

"Is it impossible?" she asked.

"No, but it will take time and persuasion-"

"I don't have time, Mr. Ollivander. I need it to work for me now."

"Then you will require a new wand." He grabbed a few boxes from the back, and Aquila went through a few until one finally worked for her. "Ebony wood, dragon heartstring core, ten and a half inches."

Aquila pointed it at an unsuspecting insect and gave it a wave. "Avada Kedavra," she recited.

The insect died.

"I'll take this one," Aquila said. "It was nice seeing you again, Mr. Ollivander."

|*|*|*|

Days bled into weeks, and weeks bled into months. Aquila couldn't recognize her own reflection in the mirror anymore. She had killed so many people in her attempts to gain the Dark Lord's trust, and although it was working well for her, she was losing everything about her former self.

She found no joy in fluid around the skies as the eagle. People started to notice that whenever the Dark Lord's followers were planning an attack, a suspicious eagle with a black streak across one of its eyes was present at the scene.

The Dark Eagle was what people were calling her these days. The news outlets weren't sure if the Dark Eagle was working with You-Know-Who it was working with the Order of the Phoenix, trying to warn the public of a future attack. Either way, most people fled when the Dark Eagle approached, except for a select few who attempted to capture the bird in a photo for The Daily Prophet.

Aquila got less and less frightened by the Dark Lord, mostly because she knew her value to the group. No other Death Eater could be his eyes in the skies, and if he chose to kill her, he lost a huge advantage. Now, the sight of his skeletal figure didn't send chills down her spine; she was getting accustomed to it all.

Ethan continued to pressure Aquila about helping him escape the Death Eaters, but Aquila had lost faith in his plan a long time ago. While she didn't hate the man any longer, she didn't particularly enjoy his company, as he sometimes triggered painful memories of Cedric-memories she tried ever-so-hard to repress.

Cassie noticed that Ethan had been hanging around with Aquila, and the girl with the fishtail braid approached Aquila about it once after a meeting at Malfoy Manor. "Stay away from Ethan," she warned.

"Afraid I'm going to corrupt your little pawn?" Aquila asked. "Afraid you're losing your control over him?"

"I'm warning you," Cassie threatened. "If you so much as look at Ethan Drake again, I'll-"

"You'll what, Cassiopeia?" Aquila asked. "You'll torture me? Kill me? Please, we both know your threats are empty."

Cassie's face reddened with rage. "The master might not see it, but I know you're not on our side. I know your loyalties do not with us."

"If you dare to threaten me with talk of my loyalties, I'll threaten you with the same," Aquila replied. "By speaking ill of my intentions, you're doubting the Dark Lord's judgement. I have his ear, Cassiopeia, and I won't hesitate to mention how you hesitated to kill that mudblood at the bank last week. How he would've gotten away if I hadn't took on your responsibilities."

"I did not hesitate!" she defended.

"Then why did I have to get involved?" Aquila asked. "He was your target, not mine-yet, it was my curse that struck his chest. Question my loyalties again, and I will not hesitate to bring up your mistakes at the next gathering."

"This isn't over, Whitman," Cassie vowed.

"Oh, I think it's over."

|*|*|*|

Aquila spent most of her nights laying alone in Nash's lawn, talking to the stars. The only part of her past that she still clung to was the stars and her gift.

You're not the same, Star Girl.

"What gave it away?" Aquila asked the stars. "Was it the hair or the body count?"

This is not who you are.

"You're right," she said, "but unless you can find a way out, this is who I have to be."

This was not our plan for you. You were supposed to do great things.

"You should've picked a different Star Girl. Being a Death Eater is in my blood."

Being Star Girl is also in your blood. Chose to be the person you truly are.

"I made my choice, and while it's not the best one I've made, it's one I have to live with."

There is another way. You must find your old friends again.

"Don't you get it, stars? If I go back to Cedric or the Weasley twins or Alexis, I'll get them killed! The Death Eaters do not look kindly on those who are against them. Besides, I've got new friends now. I've got Carlos and Ethan."

You still do not fully trust either of them. We know your true thoughts, Star Girl.

"Congratulations!" she shouted. "You can read my mind! That's just bloody great! But there's nothing you can change! You say you're connected to the universe somehow; and you say you can change my future; but if that were true, I wouldn't be in this position right now! I wouldn't be here in my brother's yard at two in the morning, yelling at the bloody sky about my life choices! If you were really in control of my future, why did you put me here?"

We do not control fate; we can only maneuver around it.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

We can only provide you with guidance and insight; the future is in your hands.

"Then give me some fucking guidance!" Aquila shouted.

Those you trust will betray you, just as you will betray those who trust you. You must work alone in your attempts to change your future, and all will begin soon.

"Soon? How soon?"

But she never received a response.